Digital Ulcers and Ventricular Arrhythmias as Red Flags to Predict Replacement Myocardial Fibrosis in Systemic Sclerosis

Abstract: Background: Cardiac involvement in systemic sclerosis (SSc) affects the prognosis of the disease. Echocardiography is the first line imaging tool to detect cardiac involvement, but it is not able to routinely detect myocardial fibrosis. Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is the gold standard for replacement myocardial fibrosis assessment, but its availability is currently limited. Aim: We aimed to assess the clinical and instrumental parameters that would be useful for predicting the presence of LGE-CMR, to achieve a better selection of patients with SSc that could benefit from third-level CMR imaging. Methods: 344 SSc patients underwent a comprehensive echocardiogram and LGE-CMR on the same day; for 189 patients, a 24 h ECG Holter monitoring was available. Results: CMR showed non-junctional replacement myocardial fibrosis via LGE in 25.1% patients. A history of digital ulcers (OR 2.188; 95% C.I. 1.069–4.481) and ventricular arrhythmias at ECG Holter monitoring (OR 3.086; 95% C.I. 1.191–7.998) were independent predictors of replacement myocardial fibrosis. Conclusions: CMR can detect patterns of clinical and subclinical cardiac involvement, which are frequent in SSc. A history of digital ulcers and evidence of ventricular arrhythmias at ECG Holter monitoring are red flags for the presence of replacement myocardial fibrosis in CMR. The association between digital ulcers and myocardial fibrosis suggests that a similar pathological substrate of abnormal vascular function may underlie peripheral vascular and cardiac complications.